England snagged a 34-12 victory over Papua New Guinea in the Rugby League World Cup, but don’t let that score fool you: this win felt like an exit ticket, not a step forward. The team almost certainly sealed their own fate with a chaotic, error-filled performance that threw their last four hopes into doubt. They’ve never previously failed to reach the knockout stages, and now it looks like that streak is cooked.
A Win That Felt Like a Loss
The objective was clear after their opening loss to Tonga: win their remaining group games, and win them big. They absolutely delivered against France with a crushing 82-0 triumph. Against Papua New Guinea, things started hot, looking like they’d make a serious dent in the 68-point deficit they needed to make up on Samoa. Matty Ashton, AJ Brimson, Dominic Young, and Harry Smith all crossed the line, putting England up 22-0 after just 22 minutes. Then, everything went sideways. Head coach Brian McDermott had urged patience leading up to this game, but his players forgot that message completely.
They repeatedly coughed up possession and gave away penalties, gifting belief back to Papua New Guinea. Dudley Dotoi and Gairo Voro capitalized, scoring tries for the Kumuls. It felt like England was just handing over the initiative. Watching England centre Herbie Farnworth get stripped of the ball near the try line right before Mikey Lewis and Morgan Knowles added their second-half scores pretty much summed up how badly things had slipped. England finished the game with a staggering 21 errors and a pathetic 57% completion rate. That’s not good enough at any level, let alone a World Cup. It was the complete opposite of their dominant performance against France, and now they are in a brutal spot.
The Improbable Math Facing England
Here’s the gut-punch math for England fans: they can only reach the last four if Tonga defeats Samoa by more than 46 points. Let that sink in. As good as Kristian Woolf’s Tonga side is, that scenario seems wildly improbable. Tonga got thumped 34-6 by Samoa just 12 months ago in Brisbane, and they haven’t beaten their rivals since 2018. The dream of reaching the knockout stages, a feat England has always achieved, is now hanging by the thinnest thread imaginable.
Brimson’s Brilliance Amidst the Chaos
Amidst all the frustration, there was one shining light: AJ Brimson. He was the only real player of the match candidate for England, a true standout across the entire 80 minutes. Brimson was everywhere, popping up in attack to create extra options and making a string of crucial tackles in defense. His metres gained stats were impressive, as always, and he brought that touch of flair he’s shown in every World Cup game so far. On a night that left England with nothing but thoughts of “what might have been,” Brimson gave fans a glimpse of what *could* be. Let’s hope he stays central to their plans going forward, even if this World Cup run is effectively over.
England now waits, hoping for a miracle that no one expects. It’s a bitter pill to swallow after a performance that lacked the focus and discipline needed at this level.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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